Unspoken Reminiscence
by Smiley-chan
Summary: Searching for my light". Best friends,Cloud and Sephiroth, were torn from eachother that day in Hallow Bastion, an unspoken promise the only thing to bind them. Meeting nine years later, things may have changed, though both of them can't forget.(sho-ai)
1. The Day Before

_Kingdom Hearts and its characters belong solely to either Square Enix Co or Walt Disney pictures.  
_  
_This is only my second Kingdom Hearts ficcy. Considering that my other fic(Burning down the school-shameless promotion) earns about ten reviews per chapter, I decided it wouldn't hurt to try again. This is a SHOUNEN AI fic, in other words, mild slash/boyxboy pairings. If that isn't your cup o tea, feel free to not read it, or read it anyway for the sake of open mindedness. Its not a lemon, nor even slightly citrus-like. So...  
  
Without further ado I present:  
_  
**Unspoken Reminiscence  
** **Chapter 1  
** _By: Smiley-chan_  
  
_(recommended reading music: in this diary- the ataris)  
_  
The boy yipped slightly as his bare feet touched the surface of the water. In his opinion, it was like ice; to cold to touch, to cold to be near, and defiantly to cold to swim in. "C-cold," he murmured, withdrawing his assaulted toes back into safety. Behind him, his best friend in the world snickered slightly at his girlishness tugging off his T-shirt in preparation.

"Is it really that cold?" he asked, throwing his shirt to the side and grabbing a pointed stick that they had the audacity to call a harpoon. Crouching down, he ran his fingers through the water. "It is a little nippy," he admitted, a sly smile threatening to devour his face. "But I guess that means we'll just have to get used to it" With that, he launched his poor friend into the water, cannon-balling in after him.

The boy floated up to the surface sputtering, frustration painted clearly all over his face. "S-Sephiroth! You idiot!" he shrieked, brushing away a pile of limp blonde hair that no longer held its former spikiness. His best friend spat up a great deal of water in response. The look on his face screamed _"Oh, shut up. You know I had to"._

"Look, fish don't come out in the afternoon when the water is warm, only in the early morning and sometimes in the evening," Sephiroth explained to his younger friend. "You want fish, you get fish. Sacrifices must be made" He swam towards him, his past shoulder length silver hair floating out behind him. "Nothing worth having in life is easy, Cloud".

"Yeah, well," the blonde spat. "Don't go all psychologists on me, okay. I don't need that. Damn, I'm fourteen, tell me this when I'm thirty". Cloud breathed out, watching his breathe take a misty form outside of his blue-turning lips. "You said you would train me" he said, adding more force into those words than others.

Sephiroth's emerald eyes brightened in agreement. "And I will. There will be no finer soldiers in Hallow Bastion than you and I". And this was an unspoken agreement between the two. "But you'll never be as good as me, of course," he bantered, the ever-taunting smirk gracing his features.

"Yes, and that my friend is what I call, BULL," Cloud exclaimed, sending a wave of water splashing down on his silver-haired friend. Sephiroth stood there with a blank expression, lifting his hair away from his face.

"Was that a challenge, Strife?"

"In the eyes of the challenged, Seph, in the eyes of the challenged"

"Cloud...I feel challenged"

"That is your right, my friend"

The next hours, give or take, was given to the soul sanctity of two boys fighting like animals in the shallow waters of the creek, the thought of fish forgotten, until one gave in or the other option. At its end, both lying on their backs, too tired to move a muscle, only taking in the sweet air for their oxygen-deprived lungs. Cloud was the first to notice the water slowly turn cold again. Mustering up energy in his legs, he waded to the bank and flopped down on the soft grass, inhaling its fragrance. He was too tired to care about anything, all he wanted was to be out of the water and be out of it for the rest of his life. The sun felt nice, drying his wet cloths. He could have probably fallen asleep.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Sephiroth half-yelled from the creek, not bothering to lift his face from the water.

"Where it's dry," Cloud mumbled, rolling over, so that the sun would hit the other side.

Sephiroth raised his fist slightly. "Oh, no you don't...our fight's not over yet"

"Why then, Sephiroth, don't you come get me" Cloud asked, feeling like he was addressing a boy of six instead of a boy of sixteen.

"Why don't you come back here?"

"Because, I don't want to," Cloud retorted, leaving Sephiroth very cross.

Sephiroth got out of the water. "You fight like a woman anyway," he mumbled, sitting right next to the blonde.

Cloud chuckled slightly. "Yeah, well, if Tifa Lockheart heard you say that she'd kick your ass"

"If I heard him say what?"

Sephiroth physically jumped. He cocked his head back only to see the face of Tifa Lockheart. She was a gorgeous girl, but she had a mean left hook. "Nothing," Sephiroth lied. She worked in the Hallow Bastion Library, and did occasional odd jobs around the castle part of the world. That included being Ansem's messenger. Often, she was interrupted in the middle of her work to retrieve Sephiroth for god knows what. And of course this got on her nerves, thinking that she was responsible for a guy two years older than her. "What do you want?" Sephiroth snapped, not caring if he sounded rude or not.

"Ansem wants you, and don't even give me that attitude," she said, standing with her hands on her hips. "Its after hours and I'm doing him a favor. You aint the boss of me yet, so shove off" She spun on her heel, obviously in a bad mood, and made way for her house in the village.

"So shove off," Sephiroth mocked in a squeaky voice once she was out of sight. "Yes, I'll 'shove off'. As in, shove you off a cliff!" He kicked the dirt, pulling his boots onto his feet. "Hell, I hate her"

"You hate women in general, don't you?" Cloud asked laughing slightly.

Sephiroth shook his head. "Not all of them, just the ones I know. For example, I can describe Aerith Gainsborough with one word". He shivered. "Pink"

"Pink," Cloud chuckled slightly. "Nice".

Sephiroth shrugged. "All in a days work". The rest of the time was spent walking home in silence. Both of them lived in the castle. Sadly, Cloud Strife was an orphan, but he found work around the castle, mostly in his 'Daddy's garage. By daddy, he was talking about his thirty-two year old second cousin, Cid Highwind, who kind of took the kid under his wing. One thing was for sure, he knew a whole hell of a lot more about gummi ships than most fourteen year olds. Sephiroth was a bit more...high class. It was in his blood. Ansem, the leader of the people of Hallow Bastion, was Sephiroth's great uncle. Many people wondered exactly how this was possible, seeing as Ansem looked like he was only in his late twenties, early thirties. More religious people believed that Ansem had been blessed with immortality by the gods, but the people who knew him well enough to know what he did in his spare time, had a different idea. They knew that he was experimenting with beings called "heartless", finding out what they were. Even Sephiroth suspected that the darkness he was constantly exposed to prolonged his life, but that was speculation also. Anyone had yet to see the reports Ansem had written. Lately the man had taken an interest in Sephiroth, calling him in at all times of the day.

After a long awkward silence Cloud spoke. "Hey Sephiroth," he said, curiosity threatening to kill him.

"Hmm?" his friend mumbled, his arms swinging loosely at his sides.

"Well," Cloud continued. "What did she mean? She said that you weren't the boss of her _yet_. What was that about?"

Sephiroth chewed his lip; a habit that only people who had known him for a long time was a sign of nervousness. No one ever told him that he did that of course, because he would have killed himself for it, knowing that people could read him. With a huff, he crossed his arms over his chest. This was obviously a touchy subject. "I was going to tell you sooner, but...I wasn't quite sure how I was going to bring this up," he said a tinge of guilt in his voice. "I mean, you know that Ansem has been calling me in all the time right?"

"Yeah," Cloud said, not getting a connection at all.

"Well, giving me lessons of a sort. For some reason, he seems to think that he's not going to be around for much longer...I think, since I'm his only living relative..."

Cloud's mouth was hanging open. "Are you saying...that Ansem wants you to be his successor! And you didn't tell me!"

Sephiroth turned his head away, feeling his face begin to color. "Heh, I guess. Its kind of ridiculous isn't it?"

"No way! That's awesome, you'd never have to take crap from anyone!" Cloud said, almost happy about it.

"Hmm," Sephiroth sighed, rubbing the cloth on his shirt.

"What is it?" Cloud asked, tilting his head to the side, trying to get a glimpse of Sephiroth's hidden expression.

Sephiroth shook his head. "Nothing really," he murmured. "I just didn't quite expect you to take this so well".

Cloud blinked, frowning slightly. 'Was I supposed to take it a different way?' he thought. "What do you mean," he asked.

"I don't know. I'm just afraid that," he paused, his eyes traveling the ground as they walked, still concealing any type of emotion he was showing. "That...with this kind of thing going on, I won't have time to spend with my friends..."

Looking kind of struck, Cloud could only choke up an "oh". Cloud wasn't the kind to hold onto sadness forever, but it stung a bit. Sephiroth was his best friend, one he never thought he might lose. Tifa, Aerith, Squall, and the others were good friends, but Seph was his _best_ friend. He refused to let go of the boy he considered an honor to have close. Cloud smiled a bit, reaching over and tugging on a particularly long strand of silver hair. "Hey, but that's okay," Cloud said, washing away some of the past uncertainties. "Friends forever, right?"

Sephiroth brushed away Cloud's fingers, keeping his eyes trained to the floor. He stopped walking. Cloud waited patiently for an answer. Of course he recognized what Sephiroth was doing. He was practicing what Cloud had dubbed 'iceberg training', keeping a strait face, deprived of any emotion. Somehow Sephiroth had begun to get this crazy idea in his head that if you kept your feelings in check, if no one knew what you were feeling, than no one could hurt you. He had begun to do that the very same year he had met Cloud. Sephiroth closed his eyes, "of course".

Sephiroth started to dig in his pockets for something. Seeming to have found what he was looking for, he held it out to Cloud. "You dropped it," Sephiroth laughed. "I'd hate to see Cid's face if you returned home without your light". He dropped the item into Cloud's palm. It was a small glass ball about the size of a marble, white in color that seemed to pulse a pure clear light. It was attached to a long silver chain for wearing around the neck. "It'd be a shame if you never got to give it to that Tifa girl..."

Cloud looked up at Sephiroth, a look of puzzlement written in his eyes. "What?"

"You know," Sephiroth replied smirking. "In times of trouble, if you love someone, you give it to them to keep until the next time you meet. The degree of how bright it glows shows the strengths of that particular person's heart at any given time. It basically a way to keep people together".

"Oh, that. I remember". Cloud grinned sheepishly. "But why did you say Tifa?"

Sephiroth didn't answer, only lifted his head at the doors of the castle which they had reached. It seemed his attitude had changed completely as he shoved the heavy doors open and walked inside.

"Seeya later, kay?" Cloud said brightly.

Sephiroth nodded. "Alright". Cloud turned around, heading down the opposite corridor, towards the rooms he shared with Cid. Somewhat sluggishly, Sephiroth brought himself to the escalation system, taking it upwards until he reached the fifth floor. He pulled an intricately forged key out of his pocket, unlocking his bedroom door. Today was way too exhausting . Sighing heavily, he let himself fall onto his bed, ignoring the fact that Ansem was still waiting for him.

'How am I going to deal with all this?' he thought, closing his eyes. He rolled over to stare at the ceiling. It was something he hadn't done since he was Cloud's age. He couldn't tell Ansem how crappy he felt, he would blame it all on teenage hormones. If that was the case, than Sephiroth hated being sixteen years old.

Unconsciously, he reached inside his shirt collar pulling something out of it, lifting it above his face and letting it dangle. It was his light, almost identical to Cloud's. The white pearl-like orb, imbedded in silver that twisted around it like a serpentine dragons. As it spun around on its chain, light spilled out of his window, catching the crystal and sending colors dancing about the room. But this unknowingly caused him more pain .

_'But why did you say Tifa?'_

Sephiroth closed his eyes, clenching his teeth. No matter what he did the pain never went away, especially when he said things like that.

_'But why did you say Tifa?'_ the horrible question echoed in his mind again, leaving him gasping for breathe while his heart pinched in his chest.

"I...said it...o-only, because it's that obvious!" he screamed, pain no attention to the crystalline tears that had finally escaped, falling ungracefully from his face.  
  
TBC

_Blah, well there, it got out. _

_I'm concerned that I made Seph too wimpy, but this was before he turned psyco-burn-down-the-world like. It was before Cloud became his enemy. Seph turned out to have this Riku-type personality, and obviously something had to have happen to seriosly alter Seph's personalitly as well as Cloud's. The question is, **what happened...? Stay tuned! **_**- **Smiley-chan (aka shadow-piper) XD

**__**


	2. The Broken Strings of a Dark Puppeteer

_Kingdom Hearts and its characters belong solely to either Square Enix or Walt Disney Pictures._

_This chapter contains some very discreet implied CloudxSephiroth material. Only a little tho. So far it is only a very clean Shounen Ai, not even lemonish AT ALL. And like I said before, if you can't handle this, please don't feel the need to flame about this. This will only result in a larger damage quotient in Sephiroth's Hell-fire attack. WARNING: major sissyroth ahead_

**Unspoken Reminiscence**

**Chapter 2**

_By: Smiley-chan_

_(recommended reading music: vindicated- dashboard confessionals)_

-Hope dangles on a string, like slow spinning redemption; winding in, and winding out, the shine of it has caught my eye-

Sephiroth groggily lifted his head from the soft surface that it had formally been gracing. He gazed out the window, with puffy eyes, unfamiliar with the itchy feeling after the onset of tears. 'Damn,' he thought, rubbing his eyelids, bringing them temporary relief. It was dark outside, tiny twinkling stars spreading across the heavens. Sephiroth let himself fall back onto his bed again, with a sigh. Maybe sleeping wasn't such a bad idea. The problem was, he wasn't tired anymore. "How long was I out?" he mumbled to himself.

"Not long at all". He snapped his head up in surprise, searching his room for the source of the voice. Finally his eyes rested on the large armchair in the corner of his room. His great uncle was casually draped over it, staring at the boy with intent golden eyes. Sephiroth shivered. He could have sworn the man wasn't there before.

"Oh, honored uncle, why didn't you wake me?" Sephiroth asked, wondering exactly why the man had called for him in the first place. He smoothed his shirt anxiously, scooting forward to the end of his bed. Even though they were relatives, Ansem still made him nervous. Most people thought him a great man, powerful and always for the good of his people. Lately, Ansem had changed. The tone in his voice held and icy undertone that made Sephiroth think he was possessed, and his stare had always reminded him of a Siamese cat, or even better...a heartless.

"Oh, you looked like you could use some sleep," Ansem replied almost sincerely. "You'll need it".

Sephiroth knitted his eyebrows together, slowly processing that sentence. "Are we doing something tonight?"

Ansem's eyes lit up with excitement, clapping his hands together. "I have something to show you," he said sounding quiet like an overgrown child on holiday. He stood, beckoning Sephiroth to follow. Sephiroth grumbled, pulling himself out of bed. On his way out, he carefully strapped his sword, a new gift from Ansem, around his waist. Chances were, he would be exposed to the heartless. Although he hadn't been attacked yet, he wasn't going to take that chance. He could feel it in his bones that those things weren't friendly at all.

* * *

"Are you alright down there?"

Cloud swiped at a smudge of oil on cheek, successfully smearing it across the bridge of his nose. "I'm _fine _Vinny," the blonde replied. Cloud tugged the nut on the ship a little tighter, trying to get the fuel from leaking everywhere.

The raven-haired man shook his head at the absurdities of either that he was worried about the kid or that his nickname made him sound like he was a member of the mafia. "That would be Vincent, Cloud," he mumbled. "You've been at it for an hour, that's all".

"So?" Cloud asked, not phased by this.

"Well," Vincent replied," the day you broke up with Aerith, you rewired all the controls. The day that Sephiroth said he'd never speak to you again, you practically polished Cid's ship until I could see my face in it. I'm assuming that fixing things is your way of venting bad feelings," he chuckled slightly.

Cloud rolled his eyes, sighing with relief as the drizzle of black liquid subsided. "Nothing's wrong. If your so worried, you could always come down here and help, _Vincent_".

"That would be _only _my honor," Vincent replied sarcastically. "But sadly, I'm babysitting today, if you have forgotten" ...and heaven forbid that any oil splatter on his perfect porcelain complexion.

Cloud kicked out from under the gummi, his face finally visible to the vampiric looking man. "I hope the Kisaragi's are paying you well"

"Yes, well it seems that I'm the only person Yuffie will behave for," he spoke, the thought slightly amusing.

"Really...now why's that Yuffie?" Cloud asked. The small child in the corner didn't even look up from her hand-held game console.

"Cause Vinny's cool, Spike," she said simply. Her eyes went wide with fury as her game emmited a small tune of despair, signaling that her character had indeed...died. "No! Link, don't leave me!" she wailed, scrunching up into a tiny ball and toppling over onto her side. Vincent sighed, walking over, trying to calm the melodramatic child.

Cloud chuckled slightly. Yuffie was an interesting kid, a little annoying, but interesting none the less. "Yeah, Vinny. She only behaves because she, like every other kid in Hallow Bastion, thinks you're a vampire". Vincent rolled his crimson eyes, cleaning peanut-butter and jelly stains from Yuffie's gameboy. He had managed to calm the child by promising to play 'Shinobi' with her later, a game of her own invention; basically sneeking around street corners and throwing shuriken at cats and small heartless.

"Vinny! Lets go play, okay?" the seven year old giggled, taking a hold of Vincent's hand. "Lets hide so Squall can't find us!" and she practically dragged him out the door. Cloud shook his head in amazement. He didn't think that Vincent had it in him to keep up with Yuffie's energy. Vincent _did _look like a vampire after all.

Cloud checked the ship over for any kind of damage, that he could repair. Truth was, he felt like shit, and if he looked the way he felt, there would be a lot more than oil on his face. After a long while, Cloud had to admit to himself that the gummi was flawless for now, and there was nothing more to do for it. 'Man, I need a shrink'. He chuckled a little at that thought. 'Or a five pound bag of skittles, or something'. Shrugging, he decided to go back to his room for the day.

"Hey kid, what the hell ya been doin' all day?". Cloud shrugged.

"Nothing much," he responded, opening the door to his room, ingoring the blonde cigarette puffing man behind him.

"Ah, good then. Ya can help fix that oil leak on my gummi," Cid said, as if there was nothing better in the world that Cloud had to do.

"Already did."

Cid raised an incredulous eyebrow, cocking his head to one side. "Already did, eh? Holy shit, what's eatin' you?"

"Why does everyone think there's something wrong with me...?" Cloud mumbled, opening a window to let the cool air in. Then he just collapsed onto the carpet, giving no remorse for the pain in the back of his head from this.

Cid shrugged. "You just give a hell of an expression like a pug dog that's been kicked hard"

"Its nothing, really," Cloud said. Like hell he'd tell a thing to Cid. He'd laugh so hard that his backside would probably fall right off. Besides, its not like Cid wouldn't find out for himself, that stubborn old goat.

"Heh, suit yourself kid," Cid laughed curtly, stepping out the doorway.

Cloud rolled over, deciding that talking a _little _couldn't hurt, right? "Cid?"

"Knew it," Cid chuckled, the stump of his burnt-out cigarette wobbling up and down as he talked.

Cloud scowled. 'He is _so _not related to me'. "Cid, did you know...that Sephiroth...is gonna be..." Cloud stopped, feeling a little ashamed that this was he was upset about. "Cid, Seph is gonna be _king_ when Ansem goes!"

"Izzat so?" Cid mumbled amused. "I'm freakin disappointed, in ya kid!"

"Why? Cause I'm angry at that?!" Cloud shouted.

Cid quirked an eyebrow. "Hell no! Cause you didn't give that Sephiroth kid a piece of yur mind! You should tell lover-boy exactly what you mean"

"Yeah, I know what y---what the hell Cid?!" puffed Cloud, feeling his face become several shades redder. "You-tu-huh-lo-lover-AGGHH!"

Cid laughed insanely, trying to brush the look on Cloud's face from his mind. "Yeah kid, there's only one difference between odd an queer, and that's that one's strait!"

"CIIIID!!!" cloud barked, climbing to his feet, he retched open the door to his room. "I don't know what your trying to say, but I _will _go talk to Sephiroth..." He slammed the door behind him, running down the hallway. Cid shook his head, wondering how long is was going to take the kid to realize what was happening. He shrugged. Hey, what was the worst that could happen?

Cloud paced up and down, the hallways, considering all possibilities. 'If I were Seph, where would I be?' Cloud could assume that he wasn't still with Ansem; it had been a couple of hours after all. Sometimes he was in the village, doing nothing. But most of the time, the reclusive boy, would just be in his room...doing nothing, as far as Cloud knew. 'Come to think of it, he doesn't do much when I'm not around eh?' eh asked himself silently. "Its his room then," he announced to the empty room.

After climbing several spiraling stair-cases, because the elevators were reserved for members of the higher class, he reached his destination. Gently, he rapped on the door. Getting no response, Cloud knocked a little harder. "Seph, are you there? I need to talk to you...its not urgent, but..." He pounded both fists against the cool wooden door, surprised as the door pushed open under the force. "What the---?" The door had been unlocked the whole time. Curiously, Cloud stuck his head inside the doorway. "Seph?"

Sephiroth's room looked nearly untouched. Everything orderly and so clean it made Cloud cringe. The only thing that might have supported that Sephiroth had been there recently, was the way the comforter was wrinkled from what Cloud had graced, "Depressive Plopping", in which Sephiroth had no concern that falling onto his bed might ruin the furniture. The sword that was usually propped up against the corner of the wall was missing, so all that Cloud could assume was that his friend was out. "Imagine that," Cloud mumbled incredulously. "Maybe, he's in the village after all..." The village wasn't that big, after all, it couldn't be that hard to find one person. Sighing deeply, he closed the door to Sephiroth's room behind him, before he would set out on his quest to find his best friend. Hey, it wasn't such a bad thing after all, this way he'd have time to sort out what he would say when he got there.

* * *

Sephiroth wrinkled his nose as he entered the foul smelling room. It wasn't like he hadn't smelt this before, but it was one of those stenches that you can never get used to; the kind that cling to your cloths for hours afterward, filling you with disgust. This is why Sephiroth never did like Ansem's lab. The smell there was found very few places in the world, perhaps even only this place. That of decay, must, chemincals, and other potent ingredients that had yet to be named. Besides the horrible smell, lately it had taken to its visitors, feelings that were less than desirable; reeking depression, sadness, _fear_. All of which, Sephiroth reminded himself were not his own feelings, and should be ignored.

Following Ansem deep within his extensive laboratory, he could see the trailing efforts of the man's work. Piles upon piles of parchment littered every table, each page filled front and back with hastily scribbled and in an increasingly maddened fashion as the piles became fresher. It was obvious that Ansem's devotion to his work and to his people had slowly dwindled, no longer a responsibility, but rather an obsession.

Avoiding shards of broken glass, Sephiroth had to jog to keep up with his uncle, who's pace had seemed quicken with each passing second. "Tell me what's going on Ansem!" he shouted, suddenly regretting ever having agreed to this waste of time.

Ever slowly, Ansem's head craned around, the look on his face unforgettable. He looked out of it, sedated almost, a creepy half-lidded smile creeping up his lips. But it was his eyes most of all, that convinced Sephiroth. They were blank, golden orbs devoid of any light, but still seemed to glow in the dark. 'He's gone mad,' Sephiroth thought, a foreboding feeling growing in his heart. 'Turn back now'

Discreetly, Sephiroth backed up several steps, preparing to make a run for it. But as soon, as turned around, he found that he was unable to move.

"Come Guardian!"

Suddenly, he could feel his hands and feet being held from behind. He could feel the cold and unnatural substance against his skin, and he could tell. It was some kind of large heartless, one that his great uncle had summoned to keep the boy bound to him. He shook at the thing, trying to wrestle free of its grip, but it was no use. The heartless was strong, as strong as the ever growing population of heartless was bound to become.

"Please, grace me with your presence a little while longer, Sephiroth," Ansem spoke, his deep voice leaving no room for argument. The creature released Sephiroth, slowly creepy back behind its master like a shadow, while still keeping a watchful yellow eye on the silver-haired youth.

Trying to shake the dominant frozen feeling on his flesh, Sephiroth glared as coldly as he felt. "I feel as if I don't have a choice in the matter, do I?" Sephiroth spat, rubbing his tender arms. "But whatever it is, I want no part of it, understand?!"

"This way," Ansem said, making a large gesture in a direction. Pulling himself together, Sephiroth scowled, once again following the man who he was sure was up to something. After another maze of old reports, diagrams, congealed material and other such things...they came upon a door. Nothing special at all it would seem, wooden, it would seem, barely hanging on its hinges with a broken doorknob. Ansem nodded his head. Understanding, Sephiroth reached and gripped the door, not surprised when it swung open with ease. "Lets go in shall we?" Ansem said, giving his nephew a nudge in the side.

Sephiroth scowled, stepping cautiously through the doorway, taking his steps very slowly, feeling every dust-covered stone before setting his foot on it. The room wasn't necessarily dark, dim for there was a strange type of flickering light that shone from deep within. Most of all, Sephiroth could tell this place was old. The laid stones that made up the walls and floor looked several centuries old, crumbling at slipping loose, obviously ignored or forgotten about. But strangely, it seemed like no life had touched it ever, not a spider web to be found. Empty space. "What a waste of a room," Sephiroth mumbled.

"Not quite," Ansem replied dryly. "Look harder".

"At what? The room's empty," Sephiroth spat, his eyes flickering in the unnatural light of the cave-like room.

Ansem smiled, a taunting kind of smirk that made Sephiroth want to rip it from Ansem's face. "Is that so? Do you mind telling me which piece of nothing is emitting the light that allows you to see in this place?"

Sephiroth blinked, slowly processing the comment. This was true. A nasty curiosity began to bubble within him. Whatever it was, it wasn't normal, _otherworldly_. This unconsciously caught his attention, being the adolescent he was. Feeling unfulfilled in a sense, Sephiroth stepped closer to the light. After this action was repeated several more times, he thought he could see his target. Adjusting his eyes to the darkness, he peered deeper, recognizing the flickering light source that stood erect in the corner.

"Is that...fire?" Sephiroth murmured uncertainly. If it was fire, than it was most unnatural. It burned light green in color, and the sparks that dared to fly from its body shimmered like glass caught in sunlight. Slowly, Sephiroth inched up to it a child-like curiosity dominating his sane thoughts. Fascinated, he felt as if he should touch the flames. Sephiroth chuckled silently at the thought. Any peon with half a brain would know better than to stick their fingers into a fire. But still...

Sephiroth was certain that he was no peon, and the idea of touching whatever-it-was would have certainly been ludicrous, if...the flames hadn't been so entrancingly emerald in color. Slowly, he brushed his fingertips against the wavering substance. Half expecting to feel the burning on his skin, Sephiroth drew his fingers away, as the 'fire' had caused a tickling sensation to dance across his arm, like the feeling of the sand driven by the wind.

Testing it again, Sephiroth came to the conclusion that it was not dangerous, and that it definitely was not burning.

"What is it...?" he asked, his voice suddenly gone soft with mesmerization. Slowly he could feel himself going into a calm, not sleepy, just like there was nothing in the world he should be worrying about. That Ansem wasn't a crazy lunatic, and that he hadn't intentionally done horrible things to him. Some part of him, in the back of his mind speaking to him with a small voice, that this was wrong, that something bad would come of this, that this wasn't real. The voice went ignored.

"A doorway," Ansem spoke, sounding vain in the process. "I found it here, several years ago". Ansem's eyes gleamed sadistically, seeing the beginning of something more powerful begin to emerge from his nephew. Something that had rested there all along, but lay suppressed.

Sephiroth nodded hazily. "A doorway..." he repeated, the meaning of the words ringing clearly in his mind, but found nothing more to say that to repeat it.

"A doorway to another world," Ansem continued. "The desolate world in which the heartless reside"

"Heartless...?" Sephiroth murmured, finding his hands drifting back to flame like portal on their own accord. He knew, deep inside, that the heartless were something he should fear. He knew that the heartless were creatures of darkness. But...for some reason he didn't care anymore.

Ansem nodded. "Would you like to go see the heartless, Sephiroth?"

Blinking with blank green eyes, looked up at his great-uncle like a newly adopted puppy, willing to do a new trick. "Would I?"

"You would," Ansem responded, leading the silver-haired youth into the flames. For a mere instant, the flames burst white, than calmed. To two figures were there no longer.

Sephiroth blinked slowly, his vision adjusting to the darkness of this new world. It was so much more different than anything he had ever seen. The first word that came to mind was _uncivilized_, but things like beautiful and mysterious followed soon after. Vaguely, it reminded him of the stories the mass instructors would tell young children on Sundays, about what the universe looked like, before the gods molded it to their liking. Currents of dark energy ran everywhere; in the air, up the structures, and parading beneath the soles of his shoes. Everything...was made out of darkness.

"Its beautiful, isn't it," Ansem stated, rather than a question. Sephiroth nodded numbly, almost like puppet with worn out strings, his movements small and as clumsy as a child's. Thus was the strong hypnosis that the darkness had began to cast. Gripping the pinstriped material of Ansem's sleeve, Sephiroth spoke brokenly.

"Show me...what...you found," Sephiroth commanded, but the way it came out, I sounded more like a he was begging. He yanked on Ansem's sleeve.

"Of course, that's why I brought you here," Ansem replied, smiling crookedly. "Dear boy". Ansem led them both to the edge of the platform they stood on, where the claw-like rock formations didn't bar the way. Without qualms, he stepped over the edge, leaving Sephiroth there to stare. Ansem had not fallen, but rather transported to the next platform ahead of them, that held yet another set of strange colored flames.

Overbearing his better senses, that had almost completely been drowned out, he followed his uncle, feeling a strong rush of wind, then the solid feeling as he nearly tripped on the new landing. Smirking slightly, Ansem stepped into an orange red flame that could have passed as real fire. Collecting himself lazily, Sephiroth followed. But the moment he placed a single toe inside the substance, he feel heat flowing off of it. It wasn't real fire, but there was only a stubble difference between the two. For once, a sane though smacked him in the face. _You'll burn alive if you follow him!_

But, the darkness that had held on for so long without wavering would not be suppressed so easily. The darkness pushed him, spoke those comforting words that made the boy the darkness' puppet. Sephiroth nodded, almost having the need to jump into the flames, feeling the uncomfortable sensation similar to lying to close to a heater, as he was spit out on what seemed to be the other end of the doorway. It took a moment for the buzzing in his head to stop, and realize that he had toppled over, his cheek lying against the cool tiles of a hallway. He would have been content just to lay there, if the weird feeling in his heart wasn't there. _I wonder if this is how heartless travel to other worlds _the small voice within his head spoke.

Lifting himself off the floor, he continued down the hall, barely noticing the yellow eyes of thousand of beasts hiding in the shadows. Halfway down, Sephiroth found an open door, leading into a separate room. It was like someone had taken off a slab of Ansem's laboratory, and stuck it into this twisted world. Pipes stuck in and out of the walls, filled with strange substances, carrying them to a large, pulsating machine in the center of the room. But the now sedated Sephiroth couldn't care less about the functions of this machine, nor what it was running on. He was more interested in a large leather bound book, resting upon a table in front of the machine. The darkness pushed him again, encouraged his curiosities.

"Read it if that is your desire," Ansem said, that taunting grin never once leaving his face. He leaned forward. "Which I know that is"

Sephiroth nodded, obedient in every fashion. Collecting the book in his hands, he feverishly read every line, absorbing what it had to say.

"The heart of all worlds..."

_Oh, gods...this can't be right._

"Consummate the great heart..."

_No..._

"Those without hearts will hunger...until..."

Ansem approached the boy, placing a single hand on his shoulder. "Darkness is the heart's true essence"

_It's not! It never will be!_

"Yes," Sephiroth answered monotonously.

"Darkness is power, darkness conquers all worlds. And you, Sephiroth, have a natural gift for black powers. Your heart harbors darkness"

_Shut up! No! I don't belong to the darkness!_

Ansem continued. "All those weak hearted fools who appose the darkness are"

"Worthless," Sephiroth replied.

_What about people's lives. How could you ruin everything for the people who love and adore you, twisted bastard! There are people who care about us, how could you betray them?!_

"Who do you care about?" Ansem asked, pleased with all the answers he received thus far.

"No one"

_...what about Cloud...?_

Ansem nodded in satisfaction, raising his face proudly. "At this moment, the heartless are combing our world, ridding it of all the worthless rubbish, that dirties the perfection that comes with darkness. This is the beginning of a great era. All who appose...will die"

_All of them...all of Hallow Bastion? Monster...what about Vincent, and Leon, and even little Yuffie, Tifa, that Aerith girl...what will happen to them?_

"Every last one of them"

_What about Cloud?!_

Sephiroth clutched his head, feeling weak for the contradictions in his own mind. "Cloud..." he murmered, barley audible. Ansem sneered, only being able to watch, as the darkness began to break away. This Cloud person would be the first.

_WHAT ABOUT CLOUD?!_

The bonds broke, the strings on the puppet cut free...bringing him into reality like a breathe of fresh air. His mind had cleared. The things that had seemed to insignificant, found their importance. Sephiroth looked up from the floor, his eyes now narrow slits as threatening as daggers.

"I will NOT let you hurt them!!"

TBC

Thanks to all of you guys. NEXT CHAPTER-will be freakin awesome. Thanx very much. Woo, now that I got the SissyRoth part over, I nearly died. Had to hug my advent children pillow. Poor Sephy, you're so overly abused.

**DragonRose13 (I don't see what's so funny --), Jen0va99 ( XD thank you! Btw, you're a wonderful writer, me being the Yoai shipper that I am), SilverStrifey819, Promise, vash-lover323 ( thanx you why would Sephiroth be in love with Tifa? Two little words. Shounen Ai)**


	3. Because I can't lose

_Kingdom Hearts and its characters belong solely to both Square Enix and Walt Disney Pictures._

_Implied (Well...more than implied)CloudxSeph. Clean, but very sweet and adorable, shounen ai (At least for the moment). Nice little Japanese words for homosexual. This is going to be the saddest chapter yet,leading up the chappy that I've been wanting to write since I began this thing.Warning:character death...and yuckiness.Eeck. Please enjoy!_

**Unspoken Reminiscence**

**Chapter 3**

_By: Emily Williams_

_(recommended reading music: Imaginary- Evanescence)_

Huffing for breath, Cloud desperately tried to run across the zero floor of the castle, his feet slapping the water-like surface. He would not stop, he couldn't. He had to find Sephiroth; nothing else was more important. Skittering behind and around him were nasty creatures decked in black. As he had just began to leave the castle, they had suddenly appeared out of nowhere it seemed, looking ravenous for gods know what. Cloud had knocked a couple of the smaller ones aside, as he drew closer to the village. Their beady yellow eyes simply watched him struggle.

Cloud found it hard to be the person he usually was. He didn't want to feel so hopeless, without the dull happiness that lit up his face without reason. Inside he was panicking, his whole form almost refusing to keep him up as he trembled. Finding the main stair way into Bastion Central, the generic term used for his village, he flew down them, his feet only hitting about every other step.

Drawn by invisible strings, he could not rest until he reached it, like his feverishly beating heart was screaming. Feeling the uneven texture of where concrete met cobblestones, he pushed himself harder, into what would be safe closure, near Sephiroth, and away from those monsters. Everything would be okay, he whispered to himself immediately. No one could pop this bubble, it was like magic. That was much easier to believe at least.

Seeing the first tiled roof of the village, Cloud sighed in relief. Filled with new hope, he jogged into the main street, his eyes closed with a smile gracing his young face. Bending over, he grabbed the stitch in his side that he had failed to notice coming. He chuckled slightly at his own foolishness, thinking there was even something to be frightened of in the first place. He had made it. Still grinning, Cloud lifted his eyes up through his spiky bangs.

Cloud's childish smile dimmed almost instantly into wide-eyed horror. Bodies. No Corpses. But there was no word to describe it. He had been right. The village had not been touched. The buildings were unscathed, nothing broken. That made it seem all the worse.

People once bustling up and down this street, lay strewn across its face like leaves in autumn, soaking in their own blood and rainwater. Some of them looked untouched and could have been sleeping, but their eyes were stuck open in shock, dull and lifeless; they were dolls left out in the cold by whatever had come out to play. Chocking back a scream, Cloud's shaky knees finally gave way beneath him.

Everyone was…

...dead...?

He buried his head in his hands as if he could wash the image away, but it stuck like a stubborn stain. Cloud shook his head. How could this all happen? Hadn't it only a few hours ago that he and Sephiroth had parted. Hadn't everything been fine? Fine lines of tears made no hesitation in falling down his face. He felt sick, like he needed to vomit. But he couldn't, and he somehow knew it wouldn't make him feel any better.

He couldn't just sit there and tremble, even though that is what his entire body screamed for. There had to be some people out there alive, they could use his help. He was alive, while all the others had perished. He could never let that go to waste. Rubbing away the tears in his eyes, he pushed himself to his feet.

The sun had started to set, he noticed, splaying rays of oranges across the sky, and finally deepening into a stunning deep crimson, the color of which the ground he treaded was dyed. Symbolic, it seemed. Silently, he wondered how many doors had been closed today. Doors without keys, bolted ones. After this sunset, would he see the same thing when the sun rose, or would the sun fail to rise at all?

Cloud paced up and down the street, checking in every door, to see who remained. Anyone who had, would have most likely already had made a getaway, clearly abandoning the bodies of those who they had shared jokes with, told their secrets to, and supposedly loved with their very souls. Every time his hope rose, that he thought he heard a low moan escaping from a body possibly overlooked, that feeling would be squelched as he their cold dead eyes stared unblinkingly back at him. As he drew near the end of the village, Cloud's eyes were sore from looking and he was afraid that his tears had run dry. He'd seen to many people, people who would have made his friends scream at the heavens.

Cloud had nearly passed it up, wanting to leave it all behind. But his eyes caught it, catching on to it desperately. He stared helplessly at the body within reaching distance. "No...," at that moment, it was only a statement, escaping dryly. It couldn't be. "No…no, no!" this time he meant it, the harsh reality of the situation smashing denial into tiny glass pieces. With a quivering hand, Cloud reached out feeling the skin on the person's hand. Cold as ice. But it froze much harsher. "N-noo," he sobbed, its meaning finally under his skin.

He would never see her again, she would never be there grinning in her friendly way, offering kind advice or forceful reasoning. "H-how could you let them… kill you…?" he asked weakly, in disbelief. The raven haired girl offered no answer this time, her eyes staring out at him emptily, mouth slightly ajar. Every rock solid aspect of his life, seamed to fall apart. He never expected it. He never considered that someday, any of his good friends would live short lives. Tifa Lockheart so strong. So solid. But she wasn't an exception.

Cloud bowed his head in deep regret. Maybe… if he had been there, if he wasn't to busy being selfish, looking for a single person, he could have saved them.

As the moment seemed to settle down, he breathed in the empty, silent and stale air. It seemed to suck the life out of everything, but Cloud was filled with a strange calm. He took in a breath, letting his nerves calm down to a degree. He had to be sensible. He, at the moment was alive. Running around as an emotional wreck would get him nowhere. This way he could be more aware of what was going on around him. Damn, Sephiroth was beginning to rub off on him. He took another breath. What would he do now? He needed to escape. The first person that came to mind was Sephiroth. The voices in his head laughed sarcastically at the thought. What would Sephiroth do about anything? 'He might have some idea what was happening,' Cloud managed to convince himself. 'I need to make sure…that he's still…" he shook the disgusting idea out of his mind. Of course Sephiroth was alive, why wouldn't he be?

Cloud began to get up, when he froze in place. Cutting the silence came a scratching sound. It seemed to grow ever closer, in an eery pattern that reminded Cloud of only one thing. The beating of a heart. He kept still, fear pumping through his veins until he felt the presence almost upon him. He couldn't help it anymore. He turned around.

* * *

"I will not let you hurt them!"

The feeling in his skin began to return as the numbness in his mind turned to fury. His use, the way the darkness had so easily been able to string him up like puppet. The fact that he for even a few moments time he had lost control of his body and mind, became a hard-to-reach itch. This every passing moment, his anger grew. He was unsure how Ansem would now react, now that he had openly defied his will, but he didn't so much as suspect such a reaction.

His lips parted as he released a noise, that made Sephiroth nearly jump out of his skin, like the cry of something inhuman. If it were not for the Cheshire grin that devoured his face, Sephiroth would not have known that Ansem was laughing. But it was dry and cracked, like burnt paper, and reminded him of a broken record. It was not the happy laughter of a human beings', but more like something trying to say 'There is nothing you can do'.

He felt himself being filled with rage again. How could he laugh? He was killing his people. The heartless took over. He was dragging everyone into eternal darkness and he had the audacity left to _laugh_?

"How could you…? H-" Sephiroth whispered. " How can you stand here and laugh at their pain!" As if it were as natural as breathing, Sephiroth gripped the hilt of the Masumune. It came so fast that it couldn't even be considered a reaction. Sephiroth wasn't even aware that the blade had been drawn from its sheath, its gleaming metal humming ever so slightly. His head was in a mess, with to many thoughts trying to be comprehended at the same time.

Slowly, he could feel the angry fade away, making his mind feel blissfully empty. Sephiroth blinked, and suddenly he felt his mouth go dry. He didn't just…

He looked up, half relieved and half in horror, that his sword hadn't become lodged into his uncle. It has failed to pierce Ansem, but rather it had sliced right through the place he would have been only moments before. Sephiroth gulped slightly, withdrawing the sword from the empty air. Ansem wasn't there, but were had he gone. He looked around the small enclosure several times, not catching a glimpse of the man, nor his shadow on the floor. A sense of relief had been squashed by a deep painful feeling in his heart.

What was it that was willing to become? He had been so willing to end Ansem's life right then and there. He had never…considered it alright to kill someone, unless there was a war or something. There was no command, no one had told him to do it. Feeling disgusted with himself, he felt ready to drop his sword and never pick it up again. Killing was not an option.

But there was something deep inside that was excited, for after all, control over someone's life is the ultimate power.

Sephiroth shook his head, re-sheathing the masumune. The battle was not over yet. There was still something, he felt, that needed to be taken care of before he lost it all. But in suddenly, as if an alarm clock had gone off, he realized that the time was set, and it may run out before any of it. The people of the village where having their hearts ripped out as he sat there and thought. And Cloud, Cloud would be alive if he had anything to do with it. He had to get there quickly, before everything was lost.

He rushed down the hall but stopped momentarily as something caught his eye. As to why a random piece of parchment interested him, he wasn't quiet sure. But without reading it, he stuffed the paper in his pocket and began to run as fast as humanly possible.

* * *

Cloud stumbled back, his elbows gaining scratched from the rough floor. Once again, he had to move quickly before the creature in front of him make a devastating swipe. The large heartless peered at him sadistically through its protuberant yellow orbs, its hunger that had devoured many of the hearts of this village, was still not satisfied. Pressing his back up against the wall, he couldn't help but stare at the huge monstrosity. Cloud shivered. What was left of his rational thoughts told him to get up, show some courage, summon his buster sword and defeat the monster. But he couldn't, he felt like he was the mouse caught in the trap, and the cat was just waiting, savoring the success that was imminent.

"I-I…," Cloud stuttered, trying to find a way that he had to escape. He looked into the face of Tifa Lockheart, but it held no answers for him. He chocked on salt-ridden tears, his thoughts conflicting, and he couldn't help but weep. He wasn't strong enough.

"_**Cloud, get up."**_

_I…can't…I'm not strong enough. This is it…I…_

"_**Cloud... if you don't get up, you're admitting defeat. You can't do that."**_

…_I…can't…Sephiroth…_

"_**Don't give me that, Strife. Be a man and stand. There is always something. Be defeated by the sword, not because you abandoned yours." **_

Sephiroth had smiled then. Cloud admired those words, because there were so very few who could live up to them. He knew Sephiroth could.

He trembled, shameful tears filling his perfect blue eyes. He was a disappointment. He failed Sephiroth, failed the memory of him.

Faintly, Cloud could see the monstrous abomination raised a clawed hand, waiting to spring forward and end his life, everything.

* * *

Sephiroth raced forward, willing his legs to pump faster. He couldn't be late. If he was, than everything he knew and everything he had wanted up to this point, would be lying in pieces. The castle gates seemed heavy and resistant to his touch, but in his dismay pushed them open faster than he had ever felt the need to in his entire stay there. Even the air itself, made itself to slow the panicking teenager's progress. But never in a million years would Sephiroth allow anything to stand in his way. _'I will never lose you'_

Gripping onto the stair rail with on hand, he swung himself over to the other side of his, not pausing before sprinting for a glowing elevator transport star. He touch it, letting its magic instantly place him on the platform and he reappeared at the bottom. And he could see the village a few stretches ahead. He would be in time, at least he hoped.

* * *

The monster's eyes glittered maliciously, flexing its claws through black shadowed sinus.

* * *

He sprinted across the street, ignoring the dead and bloodied bodies at his feet.

* * *

The heartless lunged, its lust for human heart prepared to drive its talons into it victim who like many of the others had begun to give up far before it was over.

* * *

He didn't want to see it end. Cloud turned his head away, shutting his eyes closed, a crystal clear tear drop leaving a thin trail down his face.

**The monster howled in pain, **its unholy voice piercing the air like fingernails on a blackboard. It retreated backwards, it offending claw dripping a blackish sludge that might have been blood had it been human.

Cloud slowly opened his eyes, blinking to get focus. The pain he had anticipated from death had never come, and he was pretty certain he was still among the living. Turning his head, he felt his heart jump into his throat and slide back down again.

The masumune hummed slightly, its shining surface soaked in the same black substance that of the heartless creature. Its wielder flipped the blade over, getting a better grip on the hilt. Sephiroth stared coldly at the creature, his heart beating a million miles a minute. His breathing was ragged, and his cheeks had turned a soft hue of pink from exhaustion. Had he intercepted the blow even seconds later, Cloud would be no more. Already, he had begun to feel the dark sewage-like hatred bubble up inside of him for that thing, for Ansem, for himself. "You bastard…" Sephiroth hissed. He _wanted _it to die. He _wanted _to see it hit the floor. It was a dark feeling and truthfully he couldn't help it. It was a lust to make sure that thing perished painfully, regretting the day it ever dared to touch what was _his_.

"S-seph," Cloud stuttered, breathing in relief. The shame and guilt was still there, but he was much more happy to see him.

By this time, the heartless creature had regained its senses and emitted a low deep-throated growl. It bore it's teeth, deadly sharp, pieces of flesh still hanging from its fangs. Upon feral instinct the thing bounded forward, intent on ripping its adversary to pieces.

Sephiroth side-stepped, causing the heartless to skid into a turn on its ebony heals. It sprang forward once again, its eyes glowing maliciously. Sephiroth made to dodge it again, but the monster had other plans in mind. Before he could make his getaway, it caught his arm in it's gigantic mouth, holding fast.

Eyes growing wide, he attempted to wretch his arm free, his face bearing signs of disgust while he watched his own crimson blood intermix with the all too solid darkness. Even wounded, the monster was still strong, relying only on it's instincts to not go down without a fight, ripping and clawing only until it was no longer allowed to do so.

"It's your fault…" Sephiroth spoke suddenly, his voice low and threatening. He trembled, a rush of feelings coursing through his body like liquid fire, as if this thing were the cause of all his misery, his frusteration. He clenched his teeth in anger, his eyes almost glowing unnaturally for a split second. With the hand on his trapped arm his flipped his bland over, so that the blade ran nearly parallel to the inside of his arm. With a sudden burst of strength and speed, he his arm shifted in the creatures mouth, and the weapon was thrust with a sickening quelch, completely through it's neck.

With a dreadful shriek, the heartless toppled over, spasming violently. Within seconds, the thing ceased to move at all, its darkish blood spilling out onto the cobblestones. Sephiroth's looks of pure hatred slowly faded into a spiteful, but satisfied smirk. He lifted his boot, and with no grace at all, kicked the thing in its ugly face.

"I'm sorry, but you'll be going to Hell alone today."

For a moment, he simply stood, staring at the mess he had made. The monster, for one reason or another, was slowly becoming translucent, its shadowy mass simply fading into the air until the masamune fell to the ground with a clink.

Sephiroth picked up the blade, doing his best to shake the black liquid off before sheathing it. He was about to sigh, when his eyes went alight again. Within a second, the silver-haired youth was beside his best friend, giving him the most thorough inspection he'd ever had.

"S-seph, what are you doing?" Cloud breathed, seeming to have found his voice. He brushed the other's hand away from his forehead. Ignoring the blonde's attempts to free himself, Sephiroth turned the other's face from one side to the next, searching for what would be the smallest cut, bruise, scrape or pebble dent. Seeming satisfied, he moved on from the face.

Cloud released a hiss of pain when Sephiroth's fingers ran down the side of his arm, only lightly brushing a large gash. It wasn't bleeding so freely as it had been a few minutes ago, but it still hurt, and it was bound to leave a nasty scar. That was if there was any left of him to scar when this was all over.

Pursing his lips, Sephiroth eyed the wound wearily. He didn't want Cloud to bleed anymore, it was obvious that it had already taken a toll on him, but he didn't even want to know how dirty it was. It could mean a lot of trouble if it got infected. He hated being caught in a dilemma, but the whole idea was to keep him alive for as long as possible wasn't it? Cloud winced as Sephiroth touched the injury once again.

"Forgive me…" Sephiroth muttered in the most humble tone Cloud had ever heard him use. "You know I'm not so good at this." He took a breath, his brow bent in concentration. Slowly, his hands began to glow a light green.

Cloud understood. His friend certainly was not a white mage in any respect. It was okay though. He had surprised even the village black mage, an aloof lady who everyone addressed by " 'Lu", when in just under a year he was prepared to become an advanced student. Adding his sword skills to the mixture, no one really cared that he wasn't the most excellent healer. Except Sephiroth of course. It irritated him regularly that after sparring matches he'd have to haul the blonde down to the white-mage's house, sitting quietly while Ms. Gainsborough batted her lashes and giggled without end. Oh yes, that would definitely have to be amended, before he went crazy and stabbed someone. And it wouldn't be Cloud. But it was sort of an issue now that Aerith was no where to be found. Sephiroth was trying his damndest to make a difference. Cloud felt embarrassed, getting so much attention. Not that it was unwanted or anything.

Gradually, the light grew stronger, the magic sending small currents of warmth up Cloud's arm before pooling around the wound. He could almost feel his cells attempting to stitch the veins and skin back together. Within a minute or so, it looked like it was fairly scabbed over, and wouldn't bleed any longer.

Finally allowed a slight reprive, Sephiroth sighed sitting back. For the first time, Cloud noticed that he really did look exhausted and had almost seemed to age in the few hours they had been apart. There was only so long one person could stand to be super-human. Cloud bit his lip, bashful and grateful, among other things.

"Seph...thank you, a lot."

The other looked up, raising an eyebrow. "Don't mention it. It was only a Cure spell."

Cloud turned slightly red, and coughed. "Um... that's not exactly what I meant." He smiled slightly. It was kind of embarrassing for some reason. "I wanted to thank you for...eck...well, you know, having my back... You...saved me."

"Oh..." Sephiroth muttered, giving a half smile. He moved his hair out of his face. "Again, don't mention it. It's not as if it was something I had to think about." He suddenly tensed as if to say 'Oh shit, did I just say something that fruity?'. "But Cloud... will you do me a favor? Promise you'll do it, no matter what I say."

Cloud blinked. "What do you want me to do?"

"Promise."

"Okay, Jeez." Cloud muttered. "I promise. Happy?"

The older one nodded. "Good. I need you to listen carefully to me. Are you listening?"

Cloud nodded.

"Okay," Sephiroth continued. "I want you to go to the garage. Don't stop until you get there. Find Cid. Get everyone you can onto a ship and get out. Do you understand?"

Cloud nodded again, but gave his friend an incredulous look. For a moment he panicked. "Seph...you're coming too, right?". He waited for Sephiroth to answer, not knowing if he should keep his promise.

At first Sephiroth didn't anwser, a guilty expression slowly moving across his features. He tried his best to give the younger one a confident look. "I'll come last. It's more important to get everyone else left out first."

"Okay." What did he mean, 'okay'. It definitely was _not _okay. He felt like he was choking on his own words, bringing tears to his eyes. What if he got killed? What if something just went wrong? But was there anything he could do about it. He had complied without thinking, knowing for some reason, that this was something that Sephiroth needed to do.

The tension in Sephiroth's face softened a bit, and he stood up. Grabbing Cloud's hands, he pulled the boy to his feet. He looked around, checking to see if the coast was clear. "I think now is a good time to go," he muttered.

"There's something I need to tell you, Seph," Cloud said quietly. "But I won't say it now. So be prepared to listen when we meet up again."

Sephiroth blinked, but nodded. "Alright."

The blonde took in a breath, and started running towards the castle.

Sephiroth watched him until he disappeared completely from his sight. He turned the other way, knowing that there would be more heartless, and perhaps more survivors. Moodily, he stuffed his hand in his pocket, drawing out the slip of parchment he had found in Ansem's lab. It was another one of Ansem's sporadically written reports. Not bothering to read it, he put it back in his pocket for safe keeping.

"I know you can hear me, and know that someday you'll pay for what you've done."

* * *

A/N: arg...> can't write death. Anywhoo. I appologize for not updating in like...over a year...? oo iono. this thing was at a stand still for the longest time, and I got off my ass to do it. And now, I say sorry in advance for errors of the grammarical kind. 'Cause I dont take no english...D: well, actually I do, and I'm pretty good at it, but I'm often late to catch my own mistakes, and Im to lazy to edit and reupload. I blame Last time I tried to upload something, it took out all my appostrophes and Quotation marks. And I have a feeling its going to kill all my other punctuation. So...sorry.

And yeah...I realize the time period where Cloud is getting attacked and Seph's comming to the rescue...seems rather...unlikely? And Seph's gotta be the fastest freak ever...but IGNORE it...please.

(GarnettVII- X3 thanku) (Kina-chan- 3) (Darknessed- oooh, thanks for the review. XD)


End file.
